News and Events

Learning by Doing!

As part of the Holistic Interventions Birth – Young Adult course, the occupational therapy students developed and implemented sensory groups at the Faulkner County Day School and Pediatrics Plus. The students used the principles of sensory integration to create curriculum-based activities with the preschoolers. Themes for the activities were Friendship, Kindness, Valentine’s Day and Groundhog Day! It was a great learning experience for both the occupational therapy students and children. The students were mentored by Dr. Tina Mankey, Ms. Brittany Saviers, and Ms. Kara Shaw.

On December 6th 2014 a continuing education seminar was held at the Gross Anatomy Lab located in Doyne Health Science Center. The seminar was organized and taught by Dr Marc Willey, faculty member in the Occupational Therapy Department. The focus of the this seminar was to provide a comprehensive human cadaver anatomy review for practicing occupational therapists working at Arkansas Children’s hospital in Little Rock Arkansas. The seminar included cadaver dissection, presentations and discussions on current OT treatment as it relates to neurological compression syndromes. The seminar was approved by the Outreach & Community Engagement Department at UCA, the Occupational Therapy Department and the College of Health and Applied Sciences. More information about the seminar can be found at: http://uca.edu/outreach/syndromes.

The seminar awarded 9 hours of continuing education credit for the ten participating occupational therapists. Two OT graduate assistants, Kirby Kirkland OTS, and Ashleigh Grey OTS assisted Dr Willey in the organization and teaching of this course. Feedback from the course was very positive with all expressing an interest in returning to UCA for further continuing education courses.

EPIC: Engagement and Participation through the Integration of Cultures

In the Fall of 2014, occupational therapy students developed community projects based on needs seen in the community. One such project was EPIC (Engagement and Participation through the Integration of Cultures) created by occupational therapy students Sara Madron and Shelby Sagely. EPIC allowed incoming international students to be paired with occupational therapy student volunteers at UCA in order to increase socialization and cultural awareness while engaged in their occupations as students. Since this was the first year for EPIC, a trial run took place to determine the successes and needs for the project. Incoming students from China that would only be here for one semester were paired with third year occupational therapy students. The kickoff event of the project “American Friendship Partners Luncheon” took place in the Occupational Therapy lab in Doyne. Students were asked prior to the event to prepare a dish that represented their culture. Excitement was evident as 48 students arrived to the event with their dishes in hand. Once each student signed in, international students and American students exchanged contact information that would allow them to keep in contact throughout the semester. The event gave students the opportunity to become culturally and socially integrated through participation in games and one-on-one conversation. As the students left the luncheon, they were urged to stay in contact with their community partner that they exchanged information with. Partners met throughout the semester to engage in a variety of occupations such as football games, soccer games, going out to dinner, birthday parties, religious organizations, and much more. “Now that the trial run has taken place, it was easy to see what went well for the EPIC and what we can do to improve this project to make it more successful for future participants,” says Sara Madron, one of the founders of the project. Student Caucus for Diversity in Occupational Therapy (SCDOT), an occupational therapy organization that promotes diversity and cultural competency among occupational therapy students when working with underrepresented or underserved client populations, has agreed to take on the project and integrate it into their organization. The future for EPIC looks bright as it strengthens the profession of occupational therapy and fills the gap between occupational therapy and diversified populations.

Faculty and Staff Celebrate the Graduate Assistants!

The faculty and staff would like to thank all of the Graduate Assistants for their hard work - we appreciate all of you! We will miss Hannah Colvin, Haley Harris, Haley Henderson, Sarah Holloway, Kirby Kirkland, Robert Saviers, Jessica Sheffield, and Mikayla Tomaszewski and wish them the best on their fieldwork experiences!

UCA Occupational Therapy Department Presents:

A Nightmare on ACTS Street

Thursday, November 13, Reynolds Performance Hall, 7PM, Free Admission

Faculty to present at the Annual International Leadership Association Global Conference in San Diego in November

Elizabeth LeQuieu collaborated with her husband, Toney who is a case manager with the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, to develop a comprehensive up-to-date exercise DVD for individuals with disabilities. They mentored two Occupational Therapy students; Haley Henderson and Dawn Holmes who identified the need, designed the program, located participants, and wrote a grant to secure funding for the DVD. Mrs. LeQuieu and her team were recently awarded $1840.00 from the Arkansas Trauma Rehabilitation Program of Arkansas to fund the W.O.R.T.H (Working Out for Recreation, Training, and Health) DVD service project. Their goal is to provide the DVD to organizations such as the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission so individuals with disabilities can increase their independence by improving cardiovascular and muscle fitness, improving mental health and increasing their ability to complete activities of daily living.

Elizabeth LeQuieu will be presenting at the Annual International Leadership Association Global Conference in San Diego in November. She, along with fellow UCA Leadership students, will participate in a symposium titled Integrating Public Leadership to Enhance Access to Knowledge. Specifically her presentation, titled Community Partners Enhance Skills and Open Doors to Higher Education, presents findings from a study investigating a collaborative literacy project among higher education, non-profit, and state agencies.

Homecoming Week:

2nd Annual "Show of Hands" Exhibits

(Thursday, October 23, 2014, Baridon Hall with the HPaW Residential College during x-period, 1:40-2:30 pm)

"Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health."

- Mary Reilly

The exhibit entitled “Show of Hands” marks the first semester of occupational therapy school for UCA occupational therapy students. Like the experience of hand casting, the journey toward becoming an occupational therapist is marked by periods of intense activity, excitement, frustration, pleasure, and contemplation.

Typical for endeavors associated with the field of occupational therapy, the process and outcome of hand casting reflects a complex blend of science and artistry. There is no denying the psychosocial aspect of creating an image of oneself. The occupational therapy students have taken the complex process of alginate and hydrostone casting to another level through their display of expressive hand gestures and the inclusion of objects that represent who they were, are now, and someday hope to be.

Please join us on Thursday, October 23, 2014, at Baridon Hall with the HPaW Residential College during x-period (1:40-2:30), and during Homecoming weekend, October 25, 2014, from 4-6pm at the Doyne Health Science Center for our 2nd annual “Show of Hands” from the UCA Occupational Therapy Department. We hope you enjoy the show! For a sneak peek, click here!

Special thanks to the Texas Woman’s University, OT Dept in Dallas

for the creation and sharing of the idea of a show of hands!

CORE Performance Dance Company

(Friday, October 3, 2014, 5:30pm - Baum Gallery Lawn)

The Department of Occupational Therapy is honored to invite you to a public performance featuring original dance work performed in and around the sculpture installation by Patrick Dougherty on the Baum Gallery Lawn. In celebration of Disability History and Awareness month, dancers will be joined by consumers from Independent Living Services, facilitated by UCA Occupational Therapy students.

Students from the Department of Occupational Therapy, CORE Performance Company, Arkansas Saxophone Quartet, and individuals served by Independent Living Services will all come together for an extraordinary visual performance on October 3, at 5:30 pm. This free event will highlight the Patrick Dougherty sculpture made from saplings, sticks and twigs and the original choreography by the CORE dance group. CORE contemporary dance company is made up of individual artists who develop and perform new choreography that evolves through experimentation, improvisation and collaborations with artists from different mediums.

What makes this event exciting for the Department of Occupational Therapy and its students is that it was developed for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in the arts. Occupational therapy believes that all individuals have the right to participate in meaningful activities regardless of one’s abilities. The Department of Occupational Therapy appreciates Gayle Seymour from the College of Fine Arts and Communication, CORE, and the Mid-America Arts Alliance and its supporters in their commitment to help our students and the community to see ability, not disability.

The evidence based falls awareness and prevention program “A Matter of Balance” (MOB) has come to the University of Central Arkansas! Dr. Letha Mosley attended a Master Training course in Portland Maine and came back to implement the program in Central Arkansas. The first coaches trained in 2013 for MOB and included graduate students Lauren Ashley, Tammy Dallari, and Lacey Canizares along with staff at the Emeritus at Pleasant Hills assisted living facility in Little Rock. A program was successfully coordinated and led by Lauren with assistance from Tammy, Lacey and the Emeritus staff as part of an independent study course. Since that time Dr. Mosley has trained others from departments within the College of Health and Behavioral Sciences. The newest coaches (shown above) received their training during the Falls Awareness and Prevention elective course taught in the summer of 2014. Additional MOB courses for individuals with a fear of falling or who need to improve their strength, flexibility, balance, and/or environments to prevent falls will take place in the Central Arkansas area.

Welcome Class of 2016!

Congratulations Class of 2014!

August 8, 2014

Assistive Technology Elective Engages Students with Clients from the Community!

UCA students enrolled in the Assistive Technology Elective (May & June sections) have been very busy this summer providing services to individuals who live in the community. Students worked with clients on everything from adapting toys to be switch activated to mounting an IPAD for environmental control, accessing a computer, and determining solutions for low vision, mounting a camera and a gun.

The following are just a few pictures that highlight student experiences. Click on picture for full description.

Thanks to all of our great clients! What a great summer!

Stephanie, Scotty, and Stephanie

Lasea and Allison

Team Julie with Fey, Sara, and Kirby

Team Julie with Jeremiah, Denise, Kaitlin, Lasea, Allison, and Lorrie

Andrea, Scotty and Dawn

Chandler, Patty and Hannah

Harris Named AOTF Scholarship Recipient

Congratulations to Haley Harris, class of 2015 who was awarded the Florence Wood Scholarship of the Arkansas Occupational Therapy Association by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, 2014.

OUTSTANDING STUDENTS

Community

On May 23rd, twenty-six students from the occupational therapy class of 2015 partnered with Von and Violet Lee of Vilonia, AR to assist them with the aftermath of the April 29th tornado. "When disaster occurs, society becomes disabled, limiting its members' ability to perform normal activities. Occupational therapy practitioners have the opportunity to become a part of the solution to a disaster's disabling effects by playing a role in the three stages of emergency situations: preparedness, response, and recovery (AOTA, 2014)." The students spent the morning helping Von clean-up his five properties.

Sarah Holloway and Stanton Swanson held a community event at theArkansas Skatium called Buddy Skate on Saturday,May 17th at 5pm. Children with special needs brought a friend or peer to skate with them in a learn-to-ice skate class. The Arkansas Skatium and Diamond Edge Figure Skating Club were vital in making it a fun and successful evening for the kids!

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Haley Harris and Lindsay Magie were featured in the Petit Jean Country Headlight newspaper! The article described their project (developed in OT in the Community course) which was a community garden in Perryville, AR. Thanks Haley and Lindsay for providing such a successful community project and promoting the benefits of occupational therapy! Dr. Moore

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One of the first year students, Josh Krolikowski, has participated in many community events to help promote his role as a future occupational therapist and to serve the Conway area. Mr. Krolikowski currently volunteers at the Conway Bike Share where they repair and refurbish bicycles for donation to the homeless, troubled youth, or impoverished children. They also educate individuals who want to learn how to maintain and repair bikes, and they keep stock of used parts for anyone who wants/needs can have in exchange for time at the bike share. Josh also volunteered at this year’s EcoFest in Conway. He will be creating a display of how Conway's landfill works, how recycling works in Conway, and what happens when people throw trash on the ground. Among these responsibilities, he is also educating and encouraging people to recycle. Mr. Krolikowski will have the opportunity to assist with construction projects and logistics for these events.

Research and Scholarship

Haley Henderson and Dawn Holmes are working with Mr. Toney LeQuieu, case manager for the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, to create an exercise video for individuals in wheelchairs. This project was initiated through an assignment for the OT graduate course, OT in the Community taught by Dr. Tina Mankey, Mrs. Veronica Rowe, and Dr. Jennifer Moore. The video will showcase exercises for individuals with varying levels of spinal cord injuries or any individuals who prefer to exercise in a seated position. During their community project, Ms. Henderson and Mrs. Holmes held a focus group with six participants with varying abilities to learn the wants and needs of this targeted population. Ms. Henderson, Mrs. Holmes, and Mr. LeQuieu have now teamed up with Kim Brown and the Arkansas Trauma Rehabilitation Program for the production and distribution of their proposed research. Future plans include a formally conducted research project and participation at the September Spinal Cord Exposition in Little Rock, AR.

Haley Henderson and Mrs. Elizabeth LeQuieu are working on a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) project. Their project is a scholarly inquiry into student learning during level 2 fieldwork which advances the practice of teaching by making research findings public. Currently, Ms. Henderson and Mrs. LeQuieu are in the process of data collection. The survey examines the perceptions of Level II Fieldwork educators and students on the effectiveness and efficiency of UCA’s weekly review tool. This tool was developed for the UCA OT program in efforts to meet accreditation requirements and improve the fieldwork program.

During the 2014 American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) conference, four current OT students participated in the Maddak awards. OT professionals and students were invited to submit products that they invented or adapted to assist people with disabilities or those recovering from illnesses and injuries. Our innovative UCA participants included OT students Hannah Colvin, Chandler Graham, Sarah Holloway, and Josh Krolikowski. They developed a piece of adaptive equipment that was accepted to be presented at the Maddak Awards in Baltimore, MD. Chandler Graham's hands-free fishing pole placed 3rd overall.

Occupational therapy students Lacie Canizares, Caitlin Krehel, and Stephanie Warner along with Dr. Tina Mankey presented at the AOTA conference in Baltimore, MD. Mrs. Carnizares, Mrs. Krehel, and Ms. Warner played a vital role as research assistants to ensure the success of Dr. Mankey’s project. The presentation explored perceptions of transition team members about the role and involvement of occupational therapy in Arkansas transition services. This study helped to provide substantial how other transition team information about professionals viewed the importance and role of OT. Six groups with twenty-seven participants were recruited from a statewide transition agency. All data was collected during a period of six months and each session was recorded with audio and video. Validity was addressed in the study by completing member checks. This study provided clear insight and direction about the relationship between OT services and transition planning within Arkansas.

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Monica Beard Raymond and Sarah Holloway were the two UCA OT students selected as representatives for the LEND training program at University of Arkansas Medical Services (UAMS). As trainees, Mrs. Beard-Raymond and Ms. Holloway were both required to complete 300 hours of training with the program. This program encompasses solution-focused learning, research seminars, clinical activities, and leadership projects combating the Autism Act and the Maternal Child Health bureau within the health resources and services administration at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The 2014 Marion Ross Scholarship recipients were Caitlin Krehel and Stephanie Warner for significant accomplishments in research. This grants supports student research, artistic endeavors, and creative activities as well as travel for dissemination. The scholarship program helped support travel to the national conference held by American Occupational Therapy Association. Mrs. Krehel and Ms. Warner both actively participated in an oral research presentation at conference.

OT Student Emily Smithson and Dr. Lorrie George-Paschal

Service-Learning Faculty Award

Join me in congratulating Dr. Lorrie Paschal - she received the Service-Learning Faculty Award! We are fortunate to have such great faculty! I would also like to congratulate all of the students who were nominated for the student award - the faculty and staff are so proud of all of your efforts!

Dr. Moore

Dr. Letha J. Mosley

Faculty Excellence Award

Join me in congratulating Dr. Letha Mosley as the recipient of the UCA Public Service Award! We are honored to have such excellence in the Department of Occupational Therapy! Way to go,

Dr. Mosley!

Dr. Moore

Upcoming "Volunteer" Opportunity

Summer is just around the corner and we are looking for volunteers to help serve at A-Camp.

A-Camp is a 6 week Summer Day Camp for children with autism to have the opportunity to experience a fun, exciting day camp setting, but yet are in an environment where all their needs are met. Volunteer slots are on a first come first serve basis, so the sooner you get the application in the better. We have 12 slots available per week, in which 9 are for A-Camp (Elementary School Ages) and 3 in Adventure Camp (Middle School Ages) and times vary for each of those groups. Volunteers may choose to volunteer one week or up to all six weeks. For the consistency of our campers, we prefer that our volunteers sign up for two weeks but will allow one week. It is also preferred that the weeks chosen are consecutive weeks Volunteer Application Packets must be completed and returned by April 11, 2014.
A-Camp is an independently run camp located at Camp Aldersgate. Camp Aldersgate is a 50 acre facility that is dedicated to servicing the needs of children with disabilities; it is located off of Kanis Road in the heart of West Little Rock. It provides our kids with an actual camp experience, without having to leave town. The kids will be able swim, fish, hike, and run while having their individual needs met.

Game On!

Second year students in the Evaluation & Treatment in Pediatrics II course met their match on Friday February 28th , when three elementary school-age kids joined the OT students in lab for a friendly (but challenging) hands-on learning experience. Our three visitors assisted Mrs. Saviers in teaching fine motor skills and intervention through a toy analysis lab. OT students were able to interact and engage in play with each kid of a different ability level. Our three guests challenged the OT students to games such as Operation, Hungry Hungry Hippo, Kerplunk, and Go Fishing. By engaging the kids in their childhood occupation of play, the OT students were able to observe first hand how fine motor skills, visual-motor skills, problem-solving, and psychosocial deficits (to name a few) could be addressed through these fun and meaningful activities. Along with clinical observation skills, the OT students were able to problem-solve as a group various ways to adapt games to each child’s individual level. This experience encouraged students to view everyday toys in a new way; allowing them the opportunity to see how games most children have or are commercially available can be used therapeutically.

From the smiles and laughter in the lab, it was hard to tell who had the most fun…our three guests or the OT students! One thing is for sure; on this day, everyone went home a winner.

Backpack Awareness Day

September, 2013 thirty-eight members of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) participated in Backpack Awareness Day. They joined occupational therapists from across the nation to educate others about backpack safety and prevention of injury. Occupational therapy students presented backpack awareness in all Career Orientation Classes at Conway Junior High School. Eighth grade students were instructed and practiced proper backpack wearing techniques, learned about the best way to pack a backpack, and measured the current weight of their backpacks to determine if they were adhering to recommended weight to body ratios. In addition the students were educated about the career of occupational therapy through discussion and interactive games.

"Babies Become Instructors at UCA"

As part of the new curriculum, eight babies ranging in age from 3 weeks to 9 months old participated in the new Assessment Course. Our youngest instructors came to UCA on January 23 to assist Dr. Mankey in the teaching of reflex assessment. Students had the opportunity to observe head righting, equilibrium, protective extension, Landau reflex, asymmetrical tonic neck reflex and symmetrical tonic neck reflex, grasp reflex, and positive stepping reactions.Given the age of these instructors, you never know what's going to be in the lesson plan for the day. One lucky student had the opportunity to change her first diaper!

Demonstrating superman reflex

Teaching is exhausting work…

“Likes” the attention…

Teaching is a family affair…

Strike a Pose!!

Head righting for the camera…

Miss, are you listening to me?

Our youngest instructor..(8 weeks old)

You want me to do WHAT?

Mr. Jeremy Furniss, MS, OTR/L, UCA alumnus, accepts position at AOTA

Excerpt from a recent press release from AOTA

BETHESDA, MD—In an ongoing effort to advocate for the profession of occupational therapy, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is pleased to announce a new additions to its Public Affairs team: Jeremy Furniss, MS, OTR/L, as a Coding and Payment Specialist. Furniss, a native of Arkansas, will provide analytical support related to public and private payment policies, particularly in relation to the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) as published by the American Medical Association (AMA) and activities of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); serve as an analyst for all AMA coding activities including development of CPT codes; and support AOTA’s HCPAC Advisors and internal committees related to coding and reimbursement to formulate comments to the AMA.

"Family Feud: Story of the Lost Coin" (Thursday, November 14, 2013, 7:00pm Reynolds Performance Hall)

All are invited to "Family Feud: Story of the Lost Coin" by the Acting Creates Therapeutic Success (ACTS) drama troupe. This free performance will be held Thursday November 14 at 7:00 pm in Reynold's Performance Hall.

A little history... ACTS is a performing arts program designed to enable adults with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the performing arts. Beginning in 1997, the program had 4 performers (adults with disabilities) and 4 occupational therapy students. To date, we have approximately 30 occupational therapy students and over 70 performers enrolled in the program! Every Monday afternoon for an hour during the spring and fall semesters, students engage the performers in activities and rehearsals that culminate in the annual fall performance. Each year a theme is chosen (no scripts) and the performers, under the guidance of the students, develop the stories and their characters.

"Family Feud: Story of the Lost Coin" is a story about a coin thought to bring happiness, wealth, and health that is found by friends following a long voyage. Unfortunately, the coin is lost and a feud commences between the two families. Follow the Hatfield and McCoy family descendants as they search for the infamous lost coin. During the story, you will travel to far away places and meet characters like Gilligan McCoy, Tarzan, and Elvis just to name a few. Come see which family will go down in history as winning the family feud!

As part of the forum, students worked on a case study to problem solve how they could collaborate with other disciplines to help an older client who is at a risk for falls. Students also collaborated to determine how they could work together to screen individuals in the community to prevent fall risk, and how each discipline could contribute to community programming to increase balance and safety for older adults.

Plans are currently being made for CHBS students to participate in service learning in the spring to assist with the UCA Health Fair.

Homecoming Weekend:

"Man, through the use of his hands, as they are energized by mind and will, can influence the state of his own health."

- Mary Reilly

The exhibit entitled “Show of Hands” marks the first semester of occupational therapy school for UCA occupational therapy students. Like the experience of hand casting, the journey toward becoming an occupational therapist is marked by periods of intense activity, excitement, frustration, pleasure, and contemplation.

Typical for endeavors associated with the field of occupational therapy, the process and outcome of hand casting reflects a complex blend of science and artistry. There is no denying the psychosocial aspect of creating an image of oneself. The occupational therapy students have taken the complex process of alginate and hydrostone casting to another level through their display of expressive hand gestures and the inclusion of objects that represent who they were, are now, and someday hope to be.

Please join us on Homecoming weekend, October 26, 2013 from 1-3pm on the 3rd floor of Doyne Health Science Center for our 1st annual “Show of Hands” reception and UCA Occupational Therapy Department open house. We hope you enjoy the show! For a sneak peek, click here!

Special thanks to the Texas Woman’s University, OT Dept in Dallas

for the creation and sharing of the idea of a show of hands!

Faculty to Present Posters at ASHT

Dr. Marc Willey, Associate Professor, has been chosen for two poster presentations at the American Society for Hand Therapists (ASHT) 36th Annual Meeting being held in Chicago, IL, October 24-27, 2103. Posters are entitled "Functional Tendon Transfer for a Mutilating Hand Injury-Extensor Indicies to Ring and Small Finger Extensor Digitorum, Surgical and Rehabilitation Management - A Case Study" and "Splinting for Syndactyly Release - A New Design".

Occupational Therapy Hosted Annual Open House

The Department of Occupational Therapy hosted their Annual Open House on Thursday, October 10th during X-period (1:40-2:30pm) in Doyne Health Science Center, 309B.

Faculty Presents Poster at AOTA/NBCOT Education Summit 2013

Dr. Lorrie George-Paschal, Associate Professor, is presenting a poster entitled "Ripples in the SoTL Waters: The Experiences of One Participant's Experience of Being Mentored in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning".

UCA Challenge 2013

Did you know that IPod or MP3 ownership has gone from 18% to 76% among 8 to 18 year olds since 2004? Also, cell phone ownership has increased from 39% to 66% as well as laptop ownership from 12% to 29% over that same time period. Media is everywhere in our lives and no longer consists of just TV and newspapers. To com

bat this change in information that affects our occupational choices, the UCA Department of Occupational Therapy participated in UCA Challenge during the week of July 8-12, 2013. This week long summer camp is dedicated to promoting hand-on science based learning for children entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. Lacie Canizares, a third year occupational therapy student, revamped the curriculum as part of her leadership project with LEND, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, in conjunction with UAMS. Lacie, along with her faculty advisor, Dr. Tina Mankey, developed the class session theme, Media Monster, this year. This program was an interactive week long adventure into media and how it affects our occupational choices. Some questions they had their participants answer through discovery learning were: So what is media? How does it affect me and the choices I make? How does it influence my daily occupations like eating and physical activity? These discovery learning activities included building and breaking bones, cooking healthy snacks, and making commercials for healthy habits. At the close of camp, all 61 participants reported positive outcomes to include an increase in knowledge. Both Lacie and Dr. Mankey felt the week was a success at increasing the participant’s awareness of media and its effects on occupational choices.